Course summary

Studying Geography with a Year Abroad gives you the opportunity to spend the year between your second and final year studying at a partner institution abroad. You can choose from a wide range of courses, universities and country destinations, so that you can combine extending your subject knowledge with travelling and cultural immersion in a part of the world that really interests you. Geography with a Year Abroad is a four-year course option, that sits within our core three-year course – the modules you study in your first, second and final years will be the same as those taken by peers on the three-year option. Our Geography degree, ranked in the top 20 in the UK for Geography (Guardian League Table 2025) and accredited by the Royal Geographical Society, equips you with the knowledge and skills to tackle pressing global challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and resource insecurity by offering a unique blend of hands-on learning, international experiences, and practical skills. Voted first for Learning Opportunities and Organisation and Management (NSS 2024), our course provides the opportunity to explore and understand the issues and environments you care about. At the University of Chester, our proximity to the natural, social and cultural landscapes on our doorstep enables us to incorporate fieldwork throughout our course so that you can explore key geographical issues first-hand. You’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in hands-on fieldwork in North Wales and gain international perspectives through opportunities in vibrant locations like Almeria (Spain), Barcelona (Spain), and Naples (Italy). In the field and in the classroom, you will develop essential transferable and technical skills including in GIS, remote sensing, big data analysis, social science research methods, critical thinking and problem-solving. These skills are extended at the end of Year 2 through formal workplace experience gained via a core work-based learning module. Our Geography BA/BSc (Hons) degree provides the ultimate flexibility. You can choose to maintain a combination of human and physical geography modules throughout your course, or you can specialise by selecting one of our named pathways in Human Geography, Physical Geography, or Natural Hazard Management, ensuring your course is completely aligned with your interests and career goals. At the end of your course, your final degree award is determined by your choice of pathway or the balance between human and physical modules - more human geography modules will lead to a BA, more physical geography modules will lead to a BSc. Whichever route you choose, you will be learning in an environment rated in the top 10 in the UK for Academic Support, Assessment and Feedback, and Learning Resources (NSS 2024).